Todd Akin compared student loan program to stage III cancer
During a debate hosted by the Missouri College Republicans in April 2012, Akin was asked whether or not he would support legislation that would prevent student loan interest rates from doubling for 7.4 million college students. Akin responded that the federal government should get out of the student loan business altogether, and compared the government's support for student loans to stage III cancer. "America has got the equivalent of the Stage III cancer of socialism because the federal government is tampering in all kinds of stuff it has no business tampering in," said Akin. "The government needs to get its nose out of the education business." [Missouri College Republicans Senate Candidate Debate, 4/21/12]
THE AKIN RECORD
Akin Called For End To Federal Student Loans, Compared Government Involvement To "Stage Three Cancer." Reported the Columbia Tribune in April 2012, "The candidates also were asked about their stance on the federal student loan interest rate, which will double to 6.8 percent July 1 without Congressional action. . . . Akin said the government should be out of the student loan market altogether. 'America has got the equivalent of the stage three cancer of socialism because the federal government is tampering in all kinds of stuff it has no business tampering in,' he said." [Columbia Tribune, 4/22/12]
Akin Said That He Would Eliminate the Departments of Education and Energy. Speaking at a Republican debate in Branson in January 2012, Akin said that he would vote to eliminate the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Energy. As reported by the Associated Press, "Asked what federal agencies they would like to eliminate, Akin and Steelman said they supported getting rid of the U.S. Department of Education. Akin also cited the Department of Commerce as an 'incredibly mettlesome' agency ripe for elimination along with the Department of Energy though he said its supervision of the nation's nuclear stockpile was important enough that the duty would need to be carried out by some other agency." [Associated Press, 1/31/12]
Federal Student Loans and Pell Grants Are Funded Through and Administered by the Department of Education. "The U.S. Department of Education awards about $150 billion a year in grants, work-study funds, and low-interest loans to more than 14 million students. Federal student aid covers such expenses as tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies, and transportation. Aid also can help pay for other related expenses, such as a computer and dependent care. Thousands of schools across the country participate in the federal student aid programs. [FederalStudentAid.ed.gov]
BACKGROUND
More Than 185,000 Students in Missouri Have Federal Student Loans. According to the U.S. Department of Education, 185,230 students in Missouri received Federal student loans during the 2011-2012 school year. [FederalStudentAid.ed.gov]
More Than 175,000 Students in Missouri Received Federal Pell Grants During the 2011-2012 School Year. According to the U.S. Department of Education, 175,508 students in Missouri received Federal Pell Grants during the 2011-2012 school year. [FederalStudentAid.gov]